FILE PHOTO: President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. | PHOTO: Official Facebook page of PCO

MANILA, Philippines – A lot more needs to be done, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Friday as he urged local chief executives to “step forward and lead the change.”

During the conferment of the 2024 Galing Pook Awards at Malacañan Palace in Manila, Marcos called on the local government units (LGUs) to keep innovating and making good policies and programs.

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“We are recognizing you for your compassion that you have shown to our people in the different programs that you have initiated, which are very innovative and as they say, demonstrate out-of-the-box thinking,” Marcos said.

“And in these challenging times, our country needs leaders, innovators, and true public servants to step forward and to lead the change – change that we will help us create a more resilient and better future for our children.”

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He said “real” change is only attainable if the national and local governments work together, with the help of the private sector and non-government organizations.

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He also expressed appreciation for the Galing Pook Foundation for being the government’s constant partner in elevating the bar of local governance.

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“The Galing Pook Awards give us a roadmap for a better Philippines. At their core, these awards are about how these (LGU) programs can improve lives, how they create jobs, protect (the) environment, promote women and children’s rights, enhance education, (and) strengthen our communities,” Marcos said.

The President said the LGUs’ resourcefulness and community partnerships are vital in responding to various challenges.

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He also lauded the local governments nationwide for taking the initiative to look for solutions to problems without waiting for the national government’s directive.

“My challenge to all of you is this: Let us keep pushing. Let us keep innovating (because) the work of governance does not end. There is always more to be done, more people to serve, more ways to lead, more problems to solve, more initiatives to put into place,” Marcos told the local officials.

The winners of the 2024 Galing Pook Awards are Balanga City, Bataan for the Balanga Community-based Ecotourism Zone, as well as Bataan province for Breathing Life into the Ayta Magbukun: A Collaborative Initiative for Language Restoration in Bataan.

Other winners are Cabagan, Isabela for Project Teaching Opportunities Prioritizing Illiteracy; Kapalong, Davao del Norte for the Kapalong College of Agriculture, Sciences and Technology: The First Local College in Davao Region; Ormoc City for Saving Kan: A Love Story in Ormoc Bay (Marine Mammal and Reptile Rehabilitation Center); and Pandi, Bulacan for Pag-asa sa Bagong Bahay.

Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro also received the award for Puerto Galera Waste Water Management; Quezon City for Quezon City Birth Registration Online (QC BRO); Taguig City for Ating Dibdibin Program; and Valenzuela City for Safe Spaces and Safeguarding Children: Strengthening LGU-led Community-Based Child Protection in Valenzuela City.

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For the past three decades, the Galing Pook Awards has recognized the transformative power of local governance in driving innovations that improve the quality of positive resultsdo888, people’s participation, innovation, transferability, sustainability, and efficient service delivery.

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